


Cobb and Arthur Go to Singapore

by sarahyyy



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Arthur is a closet drama queen, Cobb torture, Eames is an idiot, M/M, Singapore is an amazing place
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-12
Updated: 2012-10-12
Packaged: 2017-11-16 03:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/535033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahyyy/pseuds/sarahyyy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Eames sort of breaks Arthur's heart, and Arthur sort of breaks Cobb's jaw. It's not one of Eames' better plans, but he's great with improvisation, so it's all going to be fine. Really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cobb and Arthur Go to Singapore

It starts with Arthur leaning in to snog Dom.

\--

Okay, _fine_ , it doesn't start with Arthur leaning in to snog Dom. 

It starts with Eames dropping off the map after he sneaks out of Arthur's bed without a word the first time they fuck. It starts with Arthur waking up alone in bed, furious at Eames. It starts with Arthur's anger ebbing off into disappointment, and worse, dejection. 

It starts when Arthur goes out drinking to drown his sorrows, and Dom, in one of his rare show of great friendship, says, "Let's go to Singapore."

\--

Singapore is Arthur's lucky place. 

Arthur never screws any job up in Singapore, never comes close to needing to use his Glock in Singapore, never meets assholes who refuse to pay up for a job well done in Singapore. Arthur loves the fast paced lifestyle of the people there, loves the busy public transports, loves how he doesn't have to _blend in_ to blend in there. He loves how people are so busy with their own lives that they don't bother to look at you and try to figure out who you are and what your angle is. He loves how crowded the country is that he never has to run far to lose a tail. He loves how he never has to try too hard in Singapore to get a job done. 

More than that, though, Arthur loves the blistering sunlight in Singapore, loves the fucking delicious street food in Singapore, loves that Singapore has _order_. 

Singapore is where Arthur goes whenever he takes vacations. Singapore is where Arthur goes when he needs a pick-me-up. Singapore is where Arthur goes to feel happy again.

And this is a fact that Dom shouldn't know, but does, because Arthur gets mouthy when he's drunk and sad, and starts talking about how it's the _best city in the world_ , and Dom thinks of how much Arthur's done for him the past few years, thinks that maybe it's time for him to be a good friend back to Arthur, shrugs and says, "Let's go to Singapore."

\--

It doesn't really start when Cobb and Arthur go to Singapore.

It starts when Eames jerks awake to a phone call at 3 a.m. from Ariadne, who shrieks into his ear that _Cobb and Arthur are eloping, Eames, are you hearing this?_ and Eames sits on his bed and blinks into the darkness until a plan starts to form in his head.

Perhaps, more aptly, it starts when Eames, in one of his less-thoroughly thought out ideas, tails Cobb and Arthur to Singapore. 

Eames follows them to a bar. It's an upscale, fancy, _Arthur_ kind of place in Clarke Quay. Eames doesn't go in; Arthur, even when drunk out of his arse, would spot him immediately. Instead, he sits in the cafe opposite the bar and waits.

\--

Everyone in the business knows that Arthur has a condo in Singapore. Everyone in the business also knows that Arthur never brings anyone else there, never offers to let anyone hide out in his condo even if it means that he could safe a _life_. Everyone in the business knows that Arthur's condo is just that - _Arthur's_ condo.

What everyone in the business doesn't know is that Arthur bent all his rules and let Eames spend the night there once. They'd watched Star Trek on TV and ate curry noodles (" _Laksa_ ," Arthur had corrected and said, "If you're eating it, you have to at least get its name right.") and their fingers had brushed when Eames reached for his coconut juice and Eames had replayed that innocent touch all through the night.

Eames is fucking proud of the fact that he's the only person who's ever been into Arthur's condo in Singapore, even if no one else knows he's been there, because it proves that Arthur _trusts_ him. 

\--

By the time Cobb drags Arthur out of the bar, the cafe Eames had been sitting in has closed and Eames is lurking at the sidewalk, talking to Ariadne on the phone.

"He's not- Same sex marriage isn't even legal in Singapore, for fuck's sake. Yes, I know because I looked it up. Shit, they're out, I have to go."

Ariadne lets out an excited squeal. "This is so exciting!"

Eames glares at the phone, momentarily forgetting that Ariadne cannot actually see him, and ends the call.

He follows Cobb and Arthur in a cab, rolling his eyes when he realizes that Cobb's cabbie is obviously taking advantage of the fact that Cobb doesn't know the way and is taking them on the longer route, until they reach Shangri La. 

When he gets out of the cab and looks up to try to pinpoint where Cobb and Arthur are, he freezes.

Because. 

Because Arthur is _leaning in to snog Cobb_. 

He takes only a fraction of a second to process his anger before he lunges over to knock Cobb away.

"What the hell?" Arthur yells, surprisingly articulate for how drunk he is, but that's just his talent, isn't it? The ability to remain calm and composed no matter how he isn't. That's Arthur. 

Eames doesn't respond to Arthur, and turns instead to Cobb. "What do you think you are trying to do to Arthur, huh?" he demands. "He's been nothing but a great friend to you and you repay him by taking advantage of him when he's _drunk_?"

Cobb holds both his hands up, palms facing Eames. "Woah," he says. " _He_ tried to kiss me! I don't even think of him like that!"

Arthur's jaw drops. " _Excuse me_?" 

Cobb turns to Arthur and shrugs. Arthur socks him in the face.

Eames draws back in shock. "I'm sorry, did you _want_ him to kiss you?"

Arthur scowls. "What? Of course not, you dumbass!"

"Then _why_ -"

"Because I'm fucking attractive and he should be so lucky that I want to kiss him," Arthur spits out almost petulantly. "I am amazing. I give fantastic blowjobs. And I cuddle. And I make the best morning after breakfast." He glares at Eames. "Not that _you_ would know, since, y'know, you hightailed it out of my apartment the moment I fell asleep."

Eames winces. "About that."

"It'd better be some fucking amazing excuse," Arthur says, still in a snit, "since it took you a week to fabricate it."

Eames sighs. "I'm sorry."

"That's it?" Arthur asks, peering at Eames over the hipster glasses he always has on when he's not working a job. "No _my grandma broke her hip trying to save her cat who was stuck up in a tree_?"

Eames shakes his head. "I've only used that _once_."

Arthur snorts. "It made an impression."

"I mean it," Eames says after a pause. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left."

"But you did," Arthur says. 

"I know," Eames replies. "Can you give me a chance to redeem myself? I've been reliably informed that I give fantastic back rubs. I promise I won't run out on you again."

Arthur's eyes narrow into slits. "I'm doing this for the back rub."

Eames chuckles and then kisses him. 

"Yeah," Cobb says from the side, where he's still rubbing at his jaw, "talk about your feelings when I'm here, I don't know, writhing in pain. Don't worry about it. I can take care of myself. It's not like I got injured because Arthur punched me or anything."

\--

" _Hey_! Why do I have to stay in the hotel when Eames gets to stay in your condo?"

Arthur shrugs, unfazed. "He gives a killer back rub." 

Eames smirks. "And by back rub, he actually means-"

"Okay! The hotel is fine!" 

Eames just laughs and laughs and laughs.

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, this is pretty much my Ode to Singapore.


End file.
